Automobile sector and competition law: An overview of EU and national case law

The automobile industry and its distribution and service networks are subject to competition rules like any other sector. But the analysis of the competition authorities’ decisional practice and case law reveals a large number of decisions relating to automobile distribution. Why does competition law apply so predominantly in to this sector? There are several reasons for this: the economic value of the sector, the choice of a distribution mode relying on dealers and repairer networks that are largely independent, and the multiple changes and reorganizations that the automobile sector has been and is still facing. The increasing concentration of the automobile industry and distribution naturally leads to a large number of merger decisions, as the automobile sector is not exempt from